The Spirit Realms
by Darkwolf5
Summary: It's amazing the ideas that the can be born with a good friend at 2:00 AM. Updated 12072007


_**The Spirit Realms**_

The System:

More important than all the souls, spirits, gods, and realms that make up life and the afterlife is the system which binds them. All entities that do exist, have existed, and will exist are part of this network of Natural and Supernatural Laws that govern all of existence. Primarily this system is designed to deal with the creation, birth, death, and reincarnation of souls and as such humans are at the center of it. The key concept is recycling. For souls reincarnation is not simply a theory or a possibility, but a very real fact. There is no eventual Enlightenment or Oblivion, just a never-ending cycle of death, afterlife, and rebirth. As such, most souls are ancient, having been continuously reincarnated again and again. This process can be sped up or delayed, but there are very few instances where it can be completely stopped.

When the living are born a soul is removed from the Afterlife and placed in a new body with a new life, when that person dies their souls pass on to the Afterlife again where they await eventual rebirth. There are many Afterlifes, the nature and flavor or each radically different having been generated from human thought and the will of the gods, and where each soul is sent is based upon the nature of that soul. Most souls rise to what might be called Heaven (although many "heavens" are far from heavenly) and the truly wicked are pulled into Hell. After a determined amount of rest or punishment, the soul is considered ready and is reborn in the living world again, usually with no memories of its past lives or experiences in the Afterlife. Whether or not this cycle will eventually end is unknown.

The King:

The creator and ruler of all, what might properly be called God, the King is an unusual entity in many ways. The King is beyond any and all description, it is a being that cannot be defined or understood by mortals or even those who might be called gods. The phrase, "the King is the land, the land is the King" most properly describes this being. The King is the System; the System is the King. The King is, in a very real sense, everything. All of creation, the universe itself, and all of the laws and rules which govern it make up the King. It is aware, to a degree, of what goes on within it and can change or govern anything and everything as it chooses, but this inscrutable being rarely interferes, content merely to maintain the order it has created. The King is the beginning of all, but whether or not it will be the end of all is a question that many gods and messengers both have wondered over the millennia.

The Gods:

The beings that most souls worship, the gods are intermediaries of the King, although even they know little about and have no contact with it. Partly they are extensions of the King's will and partly they were generated out of raw human belief. If enough people believe in a god, that god is created. The converse, however, is not true. Once created gods are extremely long-lived entities, maintained by spiritual momentum and the faith of their followers still in the afterlife. Long after their churches and cults failed on Earth, gods of Death such as Yamaraj, Yanluo, Yama, Hades, Morrigan, Izigami, Hel, Odin, Osiris, Mictlantechuhtli, Ah Puch, Ankou, Azrael and countless others still hold sway over the courts of the dead.

The primary role of these beings is the rule over the Cities of the Dead that are within their area of influence, see to the maintenance of the Messengers and the smooth operation of the System. They also deal with rogue souls such as Hollows that exist partially outside the System. Unfortunately, most gods long ago fell prey to the urge to seek glory for themselves and rivalries between the gods are fierce. Holy Warriors and Holy Wars rage across the heavens as the gods and their followers compete with each other for dominance. As sad as it may be, in many cases these wars are little more than a source of amusement to the gods that wage them. There is no real prize to be gathered from these wars, only prestige and perhaps bragging rights.

The Messengers of Death:

Known by many names throughout the world, the Messengers of Death are in many cases the hands of the gods, or at the very least the ground level representatives of the System. Made up of once human souls who unlocked their inner spiritual power after death, these beings are primarily tasked with seeing that souls properly pass over and with the purification (although not all realize that it _is_ purification) of Hollows. From place to place their duties beyond this vary and in many cases they have become the warriors of the gods, fighting in the massive wars that rage between the cities. By and large the Messengers can be divided into three groups based on location and role: the Grim, the Godless, and the Shinigami.

_The Grim_: Holding sway over most of the world, including Europe, Africa, and most of Asia as well as part of the Americas, the Grim are by far the largest group of messengers. In different parts of the world they are known by different names, Indian grim are called Yamaduts, those of ancient Greece and Rome were called Thanatos while their Egyptian counterparts were Osirians or Settites, the Norse called them Valkyrie, in Ireland the Magmellans, and in the new world the Mictlantecuhti were the most widespread. Today, in the places where the major monotheisms hold sway they are simply called the Grim. What all these beings have in common, though, is that they are the servants of the gods though today many believe the gods they serve to be the One True God, all others being demons or deceivers.

Unlike the Shinigami or the Godless, the Grim are unique in that they do not wield their own power in battle. Unlike zanpakutos and similar weapons, the weapons of the Grim are not fragments of their own souls, but in fact gifts from the gods they serve. Known collectively as the Blessing, the gods developed the techniques of bestowing power upon their servants both for the sake of arming them for battle and to limit their power. The most powerful Shinigami or Godless can nearly rival one of the gods in power, in order to prevent their own followers from reaching such heights the gods grant them the Blessing, making the Grim utterly dependent upon them. For the task of battling other Grim or purifying Hollows, the Blessing suffices, but by comparison even the strongest of the Grim "Captains" are no more than a Fifth Seat Shinigami at best. To deal with the Meinos and other threats nearly all of the gods have created a select handful of servants that wield Blessings of Captain level power or higher, but these are only bestowed on the most fervent, faithful, and fanatic Grim.

Because of their role as Holy Warriors, Templars if you will, the Grim dress the part, cloaking themselves in black and wearing armor adorned with the holy symbols of their gods. Most continue to wield weapons of Medieval origin, primarily swords and spears; though maces and hammers are not unknown. In the modern world most are completely convinced that they alone are the righteous serving the One True God and it is their holy duty to purify the heathen, non-believers who have been seduced by the devils and false gods of the other cities. As such, many Grim have forgotten much about their past and even the true nature of the enemies they face. Especially among European Grim, Hollows are no longer considered corrupt souls in need of purification, but masked demons fit only for destruction. The Blessing does not work this way; the weapons of the Grim purify and guide like any zanpakuto, but only the gods remember this truth and few feel much need to inform the Grim of this.

**Organization:**

The cities of the Grim are almost universally organized along city lines. With only a few exceptions, none of the gods controls more than a single city or two. Within the cities the ruling god always occupies the top position within the hierarchy. He or she is the ultimate authority within the city and it not disobeyed for any reason, usually on pain of death. Below the gods are the Captain level Grim who lead the armies of Heaven into battle. Th number of Captains is largely dependent on the size of the city in question. Large spiritual centers like London or Rome might have a dozen division or more, each lead by a Captain, while smaller cities might have as few as one or two. Below the Captains are the ranked officers, usually ten in number, rated from most to least power. They serve as a general staff meant to keep the armies running and dealing with the military minutia that always creeps up. Beneath the officers are the masses of unranked Grim. These warriors are organized into ten person squads, each with an unranked squad leader. Needless to say, this rank and file forms the bulk of the Grim armies and serves as the primary battle unit in almost any major conflict. Only in large scale battles or when facing serious threats are high-ranked Grim sent directly into the field.

Besides this chain of command, a second hierarchy exists side by side with the Grim Divisions. The truly elite Grim (i.e. those given high level Blessings), spies, communication corps and similar specialist units serve as independent entities within the cities. They answer to no Captain, but serve their gods directly. These units are generally only deployed under specific circumstances, or in support or main line units. Communication and siege troops in particular operate almost exclusively in conjunction with regular army units, but the elite and other special forces may be deployed independently when threats such as the Meinos appear.

**Notable Cities:**

_Berlin_- Located in the heart of Europe and long a stronghold of the Grim, Berlin is a city as much ruled by its history as its god. Ruled by the being once worshiped as Hel, the Norse goddess of the underworld, Berlin is a military city though and through. Its grand architecture consisting of heavily fortified walls, citadels, castles and other defensive structures in a mish-mash of styles that range from 5th century Norse to 20th century industrial. Reflecting this culture, among the Grim who serve this goddess an order of Templar Knights has arisen within the elite. These Crusaders and Berserkers are dedicated to carrying the gospel of their goddess to the heathen.

_Cairo_- A nexus among the nexuses, Cairo is a vast and widely varied city, the inheritor of the ancient gods of Egypt as well as a crossroads where Christianity and Islam have met and fought. The god once worshipped as Osiris rules this city of sand and stone. Because of the relative isolation of much of this area of the world and the Sahara Desert beyond, Cairo is less mired in conflict with outside cities. But the merciless conditions of the mortal and spiritual world here means that these Grim are especially busy in finding the souls of the recently deceased and seeing that they pass on quietly. Also, out in the ancient tombs scattered throughout the land, old and powerful Hollows make their home. As such, the Grim of Cairo, like the Grim of the rest of Egypt have been forced to put their own differences aside to battle these foes.

_Istanbul_- The last redoubt of the empire of ancient Rome as well as an early center for Christianity in the Near East, Istanbul is unique. Still called Constantinople by some (and even Byzantium by the truly ancient), this city is ruled by two gods, which has required some rather unique theology to suit the youngest souls who no longer follow the old gods of Greece and Rome. Pluto and his wife Prosperpina (Hades and Persephone) rule this crossroads city and command its armies. As the gateway between the European mainland and the Holy Land, Istanbul has seen as much war and conflict in the spiritual realm as in the physical. War is nearly constant and as such the city boasts one of the largest armies among the Grim. The city also boasts a large number of elite Grim, created by one of the other of the two gods over the centuries.

_Jerusalem_- Contrary to what might be believed, given conditions in the mortal world, Jerusalem is not a city torn by strife in the spirit realms. Ruled by the iron fist of the god Azrael, such dissention is not tolerated. But that is not to say that other forms of conflict are not common within the region. More than likely this is because the city is located on one of the largest and most powerful spiritual nexuses on Earth. Human faith is a powerful thing and this city is center of more faith than most. As such, the god of the city expects the utmost professionalism and obedience from the Grim who serve him. Dark rumors persist about the means he uses to secure such obedience, but no hard evidence of it exists. But, as a prize that many gods would love to possess, and a powerful symbol for nearly all of the modern religions, such diligence and defenses might not be unexpected.

_London_- Old and proud by the side of the gray and sluggish Thames, London is a city with deep roots, deep blood, and deep powers. Filled with countless, ancient (and often times more than slightly infamous) citadels, London is ruled by the goddess Morrigan, and old Celtic goddess of war and death. The isolation of England from the rest of the spiritual realms by the ocean has helped prevent outside invasion to a large degree, but Saxon, Norse, and Norman gods and their Grim have all followed mortal conquerors to the island at one time or another. More than that, England's foggy shores and dark forests are home to countless spirits and Hollows, many of them quite dangerous. As the recognized spiritual center of the island, London has to deal constantly with invasions from and skirmishes with nearby cities, but the Stormcrow and her legions stand firm. Rumor also has it that several past Kings and Queens of England serve as Captains within her army.

_Paris_- Many overly romantic and imaginative mortals imagine Paris to the capital of love, but they could not be more wrong. In the spirit realm Paris still much resembles her medieval days as a fortress town and a seat of supreme power. Add to that the agonies of Revolution and a bloody Reign of Terror. Ruled over by Wodan, god of war and the hunt, the Paris of the spirit world is not a city of love or peace, it is a city of war and blood. Much like its cousin Berlin to the east, the central cities of the European afterlife are the major players in the wars and politics that the gods wage against one and other. Much as with London to the north, rumors abound about the identity and nature of the Captains who lead the Divisions of Paris. Names like Joan d'Arc and Napoleon are whispered frequently, but whether or not the rumors are true is anyone's guess as all of the Captains of Paris have their identities obscured.

_Rome_- The Eternal City is the second largest spiritual nexus in Europe, being only slightly smaller than Jerusalem in terms of faith and raw spiritual power. Much like Berlin it is a city lead as much by history as by its god and Roman, Renaissance and modern architecture exist side by side, all maintained in perfect condition. Jupiter, the king of the Greco-Roman gods leads this city much as he has for centuries and he rules it firmly and well. Easily the largest of the European Cities of the Dead thanks to its tremendous amount of spiritual power and central location, Rome has eighteen division of Grim protecting it. Known as the Divine Legions these are the most feared armies in Europe, second to none in terms of power and skill. As such, only the vigilance of Hel and Wodan to the north keeps the ambitions of Jupiter in check

_The Godless_: A uniquely American phenomenon, the Godless hold sway over most of North America and parts of Central America, with the remaining portions and South America being under the control of Grim who serve old Aztec, Mayan, and Olmec gods. When mortal European first began to migrate to the New World in numbers in he 16th and 17th centuries; groups of Grim followed them. What these Grim did not expect was for those mortals to stay. Suddenly bound to the new spiritual nexuses of the Americas, these Grim were cut off from their gods but unable to leave. Also, neither they nor the gods had anticipated that these lands were under the control of old Grim who followed the local gods, Grim who were none too pleased about these foreign invaders. These stranded European Grim were then left with a dilemma, more of them could be created from the souls of colonists, but without their gods to empower them, how could they fight these new enemies? The Godless, as they came to be known, were forced to get creative and with the pioneering spirit of the colonists that joined their ranks they succeeded.

As time passed, the Godless learned how to materialize zanpakutos (they refer to these weapons as soul edges, although they are not always blades) and also learned that these weapons were, in fact, stronger than the Blessings wielded by the oldest of the Godless. In time they even learned the secrets of unlocking the true power of these weapons. They also revived and adapted the old sorceries, wielding powerful new spells in battle. Finally they experimented with devices, first based on crude mortal firearms, that could amplify and focus spirit power as a weapon, similar to that of the Quincy, although it is now known if these groups had any influence on one and other. In time they extended this research to other areas, developed medical, communication, and even transportation devices that operate on spiritual energy. This rushed, chaotic, and in many ways reckless drive to experiment ultimately proved successful and the Godless grew into a powerful force that swarmed over North America. Only in the southern regions of Mexico and beyond were the Grim of the natives, occupying old fortifications and cities, still the rulers of the Afterlife.

The organization of the Godless is much more ad hoc than the Grim. East of the Mississippi the Godless are organized in a military hierarchy based on European traditions, each city maintaining its own army and connected to the others by railroads, airships, telegraphs and other unique devices. Although more powerful than the average Grim on a case to case basis, superior numbers, superior firepower, and superior tactics are the primary source of these Godless' strength. Despite this organization though, spiritual center like New Orleans, St. Louis, and the Quad Cities still have the feel of frontier towns and even the cities of the East Coast are rather free-wielding as compared to their Old World counterparts. West of the Mississippi _is_ frontier as far as the Godless are concerned. On the West Coast, in places like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Portland organization does exist, but these are also frontier towns at best. In the West, the Godless are more like the Texas Rangers or Vigilance Committees of old, individuals or small groups that patrol wide territories from bases in smaller spiritual centers like Las Vegas, Phoenix, Houston, and Kansas City. These Godless are the most likely to come into direct contact with the most virulent dangers of the New World and have developed looser, more flexible organizations to deal with that fact. Here the only rule is "If you're not trying to kill me right now, we have no trouble."

**The Veiled:** In a sense, the Veiled are the elite of the Godless, although in some cases they are less powerful than Captains or similarly high ranking Messengers. What they do have, however, is the potential to go further than most. They have undergone a process that is unthinkable to most Grim or Shinigami; they have acquired the power of Hollows. How exactly this apotheosis is achieved is a closely guarded secret, but it is known that a prospective candidate (after having been thoroughly tested) must acquire an inner Hollow. The how of this process is not revealed to the uninitiated (indeed their may be multiple ways), but the most common legend is that a one has to tear out their own heart and consume it. After this process is complete the individual in question must then, in the depths of their soul, battle this Hollow and subdue it, much as one must battle the spirit of a soul edge or zanpakuto to obtain the full release. This who succeed (and many do not) may then don the mask at will and gain tremendous power thereby, those who fail fully become Hollows and are destroyed.

The Veiled serve as something like special forces within the cities fortunate enough to have them (and even the largest cities rarely have more than a handful). They lead troops into battle against the most dangerous Hollows or Grim, or challenge such foes themselves one on one. To date, only a handful of surviving Veiled have achieved both full control of their masks and dominance over their soul edges. They warriors are among the most powerful Godless in existence and almost exclusively serve along the wild and dangerous frontiers of the New World.

_The Shinigami_: A unique Japanese phenomenon, although a few other areas fall under their purview, the Shinigami are in many ways much more like the Godless than they are like the Grim. If they had any idea of who or what the Godless are, they would likely be deeply offended by this. Still, other than their strict hierarchy and tight organization and traditions the Shinigami truly are much like the Godless. They wield zanpakutos in battle; they readily and consistently employ sorcery as well as experiment with new technologies to give them an advantage in battle. Most of all though, the Shinigami serve no gods, following only their own creed. The most curious thing about Shinigami, though, is that 5,000 years ago they did not exist.

Until relatively recently (as things are measured in the Afterlife, that is) Japan had no real guardians or Messengers. The Land of Three Million Gods instead possessed countless beings and monsters that dealt with the souls of the living. Some purified and guided, some tortured, and other consumed without thought. There was no structure, no organization, and no rules. Then five millennia ago a Grim wandered into the land from Europe, an outcast and an exile who had discovered many of the secrets the Godless have so recently uncovered. He found a worthy soul in Japan and taught these secrets to a man with great spiritual potential. This man was Yamamoto-Genryusai Shigekuni, future Soutaicho of Soul Society. He learned, and learned well, and in time gathered others like himself and taught them the secrets of unsheathing the blades of their souls, which he called zanpakuto. This force then proceeded, at great cost, the scour the land of gods and beasts, taking control of the Afterlife and constructing a great fortification called Seireitei. As time passed, the city of Rukongai grew up around the fortress as the newly minted Shinigami aided and protected souls as they passed on. Two thousand years ago this conglomerate of cities and villages was named Soul Society and Yamamoto established the Shinigami Academy of Seireitei to train new Shinigami to fill his newly established army.

But even by that point, the Shinigami had lost most of their history. Yamamoto himself remembers, but no longer teaches these truths. Soul Society has become the only effective Afterlife for the Japanese and indeed most Shinigami have no idea that anything exists beyond the walled edges of Rukongai. The role that a foreigner played in creating the Shinigami has been forgotten (not unsurprisingly) and the fact that gods exist in great numbers throughout the world has also been forgotten. There is some limited contact between the Shinigami and the Grim who serve the Celestial Bureaucracy of China, but these encounters are easily explained away by the ruling elite of Soul Society and as such is not questioned by many for very long. That a vast world of men and beasts stretches out to cover the world, battling over the souls of men and devils is simply an unknown fact to the Shinigami by and large. Why Yamamoto has chosen to keep his army ignorant of these facts is not known, but with the recent actions of three Shinigami Captains (Aizen Sosuke, Ichimaru Gin, and Tosen Kaname) the Shinigami may soon be paying the price for this enforced ignorance.

The Afterlife:

The Afterlife is an extremely varied and complex place. As a spiritual mirror of the living world in many ways the Afterlife is just like Earth, full of mountains and forests as well as vast plains, winding rivers and wide oceans. But belief, the gods, and the King itself all play a role in the shape the Afterlife takes from one place to the next. In particular the Afterlife can be loosely divided into three realms: Heaven, Hell, and the Void. Realms such as that in which the King resides might also be considered, but since souls cannot reach them they are not technically part of the Afterlife.

_Heaven_:

Most souls are extremely disappointed by Heaven when they reach it. As compared to the glowing and flashing imagery that mortal religions portray, the true form that the Heavens take is often rather mundane. Heaven is a spiritual reflection of Earth, with massive cities in which souls dwell forming over the spiritual nexuses of Earth. Almost without exception, these nexuses are centered over cities as the vast collections of humans in mortal cities provide the faith and raw spiritual energy needed to create a nexus. For the most part each city of ruled by a god, although some gods may control small collections of cities, and some cities (such as those of the Godless and the Shinigami) are not ruled by any gods. Unless otherwise specified, when a soul passes on (usually through Soul Burial or a similar process) it will travel to the city to which it is nearest. The exceptions to this are if the Messenger performing the ritual specifies a specific city or the soul in question has a very strong tie to a particular god. Once within the cities, those with spiritual potential are separated and usually offered either the Blessing or, such as with the Godless, training (most accept). Those without such potential are shuffled off to a residence within the city.

While on Earth Heaven is considered a place of rest and reward, the individual cities often fall far short of this. Like mortal cities, some places in Heaven are extremely peaceful and beautiful while others are torn with strife and crime. Most believe that this hierarchy of dwelling depends upon the purity of the souls that live there, although this is only a theory at best. Only the gods know for sure, and they certainly aren't talking. Still, compared to Hell or the Void these cities are indeed paradise and most grow comfortable with the conditions there quickly enough. After a set amount of time within Heaven, souls will eventually die again to be reborn upon Earth.

There are far too many Heavens to name, each one having been generated by human belief at some point or another. The largest, oldest and most powerful are the Fields of Yalu, Hamistagan, Olam Haba, Jannah, Elysium, Mag Mell, Valhalla, Svarga, Mictlan, Metnal, and the Celestial Bureaucracy.

_The Void_:

Named by its inhabitants Hueco Mundo (Hollow World), the Void, sometimes called Purgatory, is the place between. A dark and colorless realm that exists, and yet does not exist, between the other realms both connecting them and holding them separate. Devoid of life, food, and water this vast crystal desert littered with boulders and shriveled trees is nevertheless rich in spiritual power, fed by the bleed-off of other realms, and the home of countless Hollows. Most of these spirits use Hueco Mundo as a place to hide from the Messengers, relying upon the unique properties of the Void to shield their presence from spying eyes. They hide beneath the sands, seeking shelter from the harsh conditions and their fellow Hollows, until something (such as hunger or danger) forces them into activity again.

The hierarchy among Hueco Mundo is extremely loose and until very recently almost did not exist. At the bottom are the lowest of the low, so-called D-class Hollows. These newly minted monsters that are often animalistic in intelligence and have few memories of their lives, are relatively weak and mostly powerful, but nevertheless cunning. At the top of the pile are the Meinos, the most powerful Hollows, divided up into three classes based on power: Gillian, Adjuchas, and Vastolorde. At the very pinnacle of this hierarchy are the Arrancar, Hollows of such strength that they have managed to remove their own masks and assume Shinigami or Grim-like powers. Only a handful of Hollows have ever managed to reach this peak, until recently. New order has come to Hueco Mundo with the mad Shinigami Aizen. Fuelled by his dreams of ultimate power, most Hollows now owe allegiance to this man and his army of artificially created Arrancar: the Espada.

**Abandonado **(Forsaken): This small faction of Hollows no longer dwells in Hueco Mundo, having abandoned the Void and rejected the mad dreams of that land's new emperor. Exact numbers are hard to gage, but the faction is certainly a small minority at best, although they may represent a valuable source of intelligence about Hueco Mundo and the various Meinos and other creatures that have come to serve Aizen. By most accounts they have opted to make their home in the New World, using the spiritual chaos of the Americas as effective camouflage for their own activities. And, indeed, a cautious Hollow could dwell and feed in the Western Hemisphere for centuries providing it was intelligent enough to keep its presence low key. Most of the Abandonado are old and powerful Hollows, Meinos level by and large and at least one Arrancar. In part these monsters believe that their brethren have been seduced into a fool's crusade that can mean only destruction, but pride is also at stake. These beings were once part of the ruling class of Hueco Mundo and to be pushed aside by mere shinigami (powerful though they may be) is unthinkable. Of course, their leader is also enough of a realist to recognize that they can not yet fight back effectively, especially with so many other Hollows and Arrancar flocking to the ranks of Las Noches. For now they wait, and plan, and survive, waiting for the day when Soul Society and Aizen destroy one and other and they can pick up the pieces.

_Azucena Nagarsotue_: The leaders of the Abandonado, Azucena is an old and powerful Hollow and one of the Arrancar, one who evolved naturally such as it was rather than created. Although not the oldest or most powerful of that group she is old and powerful enough to claim control of the collection of Gillians, Adjuchas, and other Meinos that fled to the New World. She finds it intolerable that a _shinigami_ should rule over Hueco Mundo and is waiting for the opportunity to bring him low. Azucena is of fairly average height and build, her only real defining features being fiery red hair that she allows to grow long and chaotic and piercing, fox-like eyes. Perched upon her head are two triangular fragments of mask that resemble wolf or fox ears while a third fragment (bearing three crimson lines) sits next to her left eye. The hole that represents her lost heart has moved to the tip of breastbone just below the throat. She also wears a scavenged Espada coat, torn and covered in the blood of the one she killed taking it, an omen of her eventual return.

In addition to the standard abilities that nearly all Arrancar possess, Azucena has one unique ability that explains her climb to the top ranks of Hollows. Her base form, before removing her mask, was that of a large, black nogitsune, which possessed multiple tails. Azucena has the unusual ability to sacrifice one of her tails in case of a crippling injury, essentially allowing it to "die" in her place. Even a shattered mask can be substituted in this fashion and unlike most other Hollows her evolution is not halted by such a wound, she can continue to increase in power by consuming more Hollows to replace what was lost. Known as _Sacrificatorio_ (sacrificial), this invaluable (and carefully hidden) power has saved her life more than once and allowed her to defeat opponents that she should have been able to.

**Zorra** (Vixen): Azucena's zanpakuto is a long and thin blade, clearly designed for quick, agile, precise strikes rather than crushing power. Both its hilt and scabbard are a deep, cherry-black red and its tsuba resembles an elongated triangle, much like a fang. Activated by the phrase "Unari!" (Growl), she returns to her base form, that of a large fox with dark black fur and a ghostly white, fanged mask with three red lines radiating from each eye. She currently possesses six tails, but whether or not this means she has been forced to sacrifice three at some point or if she had not yet reached nine is not known. In addition to a massive boost in speed, strength, and dexterity Azucena gains three additional abilities. _Acuchillar_ (to cut/slit) allows her to sharpen, harden, and lengthen her claws with reiatsu, shredding through even the hardest barriers, or even launch those claws as projectiles. _Lacerar_ (maul) is a similar lengthening and hardening of her fangs, which when coupled her with immense speed allows her to dart in and tear large chunks out of her foes. Finally, _Carniceria_ (bloodbath) transforms the fur on her tails into thousands of razor-sharp spines. Using these tails as whips she can attack several foes at once or intercept several attacks from different directions.

_Hell_:

While not only the purest of the pure go to Heaven, only the foulest of the foul find themselves in Hell. It is a realm of agony, pain, and torture, a place where the truly wicked are purified by pain before they can be reborn. Only a small percentage of souls must suffer the agony of this realm, but given the sheer number of mortals that exist, this number is still large. A reflection of Hueco Mundo in a way, Hell is a vast and rolling pink-tinted desert filled with twisted rocks and the bleached skeletons of creatures great and small that have died within it. Unlike Hueco Mundo, though, this sand and stone is made up of bones and is razor sharp (the pink tint is blood). In addition, constant howling winds whip up massive storms of bone razors that can flay an unprotected soul in a matter of moments. As such, it is the five walled Cities of Hell that are the only real areas of habitation. Still, a few brave or desperate souls do travel the desert, seeking the fabled Silver Gates, nearly mythical portals that lead back to the living world. These gates do exist, but are extremely well hidden and very remote and those who do not fall prey to the wilderness inevitably fall to the Mazoku (demons).

As the true focus of life (such as it is) in Hell, the cities are all important. Each of the five (one in the center and the other four arranged at each cardinal point) is built around one of the Black Gates, through which the damned are draw into Hell. Each is ruled over by a powerful, Captain level demon and served by a small army of lesser demons. These demons are charged with seeing that the damned are properly punished as well as ensuring that no one escapes before their time. The Mazoku are also tasked with maintaining the city walls. Unlike the walls of the Cities of Heaven, however, these walls are crafted from the damned, nailed into vast frameworks of twisted black iron. These souls suffer unimaginable agony, but as such their time in Hell is very brief because of it. A trade that some are willing to make.

The Mazoku themselves form an interesting sub-class of creatures in their own right. In a sense they are Messengers, like the Godless or Shinigami, wielding zanpakutos in battle and being formed from the damned whom possessed innate spiritual potential. The key difference being that Mazoku cannot purify or guide, only damn. For those who can achieve this apotheosis, it is an attractive path, as the Mazoku are not subjected to the agonies of Hell. Even the harsh deserts no longer bother them. But, because they no longer suffer, are no longer purified, their stay in Hell becomes infinite. It is also believed that their corrupting aspect must be contained. Perhaps this is one of the reasons for their great anger, now that they have the ability to reach the Silver Gates; they can no longer use them. If a Mazoku is killed (which happens frequently, as assassination is the only route of advancement) a demon becomes one of the damned and returns to the cycle, although they can transform again if they so choose.

Beyond it all, only one rule stands in Hell. The strong do as they will, the weak suffer what they must.

**The Five Cities:** More is not known about the Five Cities of Hell than is known, simply because no sane soul travels there and no one returns from it with any memory of the experience. Only the Mazoku truly know anything about the realm that they rule, but they are bound to it in a way that few understand. What is known is that some ancient creature, called by most the Crimson King, holds ultimate dominion over the realm, but even to the Mazoku he is little more than a legend. The most conclusive proof that he exists is the horrid, skeletal visage that drags the newly damned through the Black Gate and into Hell. What is known is that the Black Gate has five exits, around each of which exists a vast city. Each of these five cities is vastly different, representing a different kind of pain and purification. How the torments of the damned are selected, or rather what city they end up in, is not known however. For all intents and purposes it seems to be random. The cities themselves appear to be arranged into a large compass, each corresponding to one of the Guardians of the Five Directions from Chinese folklore. Due to the vast and widely varied terrain little contact exist between the cities however, and so demons are usually content to leave each other be.

_Avici: Uninterrupted Hell- City of a Thousand Knives_

At the exact center of Hell, if such a thing can be said to exist, is the City of a Thousand Knives, the Uninterrupted Hell. Constructed on a high mountain of bone, and built in a twisting and distinctively medieval Chinese style, it is a city of towering pagodas and crumbling shacks existing side by side between twisting roads paved in human teeth. Represented by the Roman numeral I and the Yellow Unicorn of the Center, Avici is a hell of pure pain, untainted by elements or types. As such, every conceivably type of agony dreamt up by mortal and demon minds is inflicted upon the damned. Cutting, stabbing, flaying, impaling, searing with acid or hot metal, boiling in oil and any one of a thousand other agonies all take place on a regular basis. Currently crucifixion is en vogue, but every decade or so a new torture becomes popular. Unlike many of the other cities, Avici is tightly controlled and highly ordered, in many ways mirroring the Celestial Bureaucracy on which it was based. This is highly unusual, but in many ways this regimented approaches makes the City of a Thousand Knives even more terrifying. It is one thing to never know when pain may strike, but have it scheduled out in advance? Time only for the damned to anticipate and dread.

_Yuangao_: The leader of Avici, known as the King of Blades is the Mazoku Captain Yuangao. In life he was a bandit king, pillaging the countryside and taking great pleasure in finding new and creative ways to rob people of the their money, their virtue, and their lives and not always in that order. But, much like Hell itself, there's always a stronger dog and in time Yuangao was felled by an ambitious subordinate who managed to poison him. He briefly managed a career as a Hollow after his death, becoming quite powerful through his cunning, but never quite able to become a Meinos. While no incompetent fighter, Yuangao's main strength had always come from his ability to gather and organize followers rather than personal abilities. After less than a century of existence he was slain by a Grim and cast into Hell. Yuangao suffered for several centuries in the City of a Thousand Blades before he learned how to focus his inner powers and transform himself into a demon. In that role he thrived, allowing his sadistic side full reign and murdering his way up the ranks, much as he had as a bandit ages ago. Some 600 years ago he succeeded in felling his predecessor and claiming the throne of Avici. There he proceeded to remake the city into the image he felt Hell should follow, based upon stories and legends he disbelieved in life.

**Ku Xing** (Cruelty): The zanpakuto of the King of the First Hell takes the form of a dao or Chinese rapier crafted from pure white jade in its sealed state. Despite its size, however, it is extremely tough and extremely sharp and guided by a hand that has held a blade almost since birth. When activated by the phrase "Break them!" the sword grows in size and gains several barbed, hook-like extensions along the dull edge of the blade. In addition to inflicting grievous wounds that will not close, even the tiniest scrape of the metal produces agony unimaginable in its victims. In addition, with the command "Mosui" (grind) the edge begins to vibrate much like a chainsaw, ripping its victims apart. In its fully released state, Ku Xing dissolves into a mass of fine iron shards that form a protective barrier around Yuangao and lash out at his enemies with gestures of the hilt. These particles can also form any shape he desires, from hovering blades to arrows to massive, impaling spikes.

The true form of Ku Xing is a massive, feral white tiger, claws and fangs constantly dripping with blood.

Zamërzshiy Agoniya: Frozen Agony- The Blue Hell 

In the far north from Avici, deep in the permanently frozen stretches of the Great Frozen Wastes lies the Blue Hell, the Hell of the North. Built upon a glacier and next to a massive river of slowly moving ice the city has a fairly innocuous look. It's vast walls surround a village of sturdy, snow shrouded huts with vast citadels built along the model of St. Basil's cathedral in the center. On closer inspection, however these dirt roads are slick with frozen blood and the houses are wrapped in tanned human skin. Represented by the Roman numeral II and the Black Turtle of the North, this is the hell of ice and snow. Freezing, biting, wet, and constantly driven cold that seeps through every wall and every blanket, which overpowers every fire (not that there is wood for fires, the residents burn corpses) and seeps deep into every bone. Throbbing, fiery cold that causes extremities to turn black and fall off, but never numbs, no never numbs. If the environment of this hell is not bad enough, it is only made worse by the Mazoku that wander it. These demons, who do not feel the cold, douse victims in icy water or chain them under public fountains. The worst of the worst (who do not warrant the walls) are impaled on massive spears of ice.

_Anastasia Zhena_: Frozen Agony us ruled over by the Queen of Ice, the Mazoku Captain known as Anastasia Zhena. A noble in life, she was cruel and capricious, seeing little value in human life and taking great joy in finding new ways to end it. Utterly fascinated by the snow and ice of her homeland, she was especially fond of allowing the cold to kill her victims. Icily beautiful, and always jealous of that beauty, she had a special hate for the women who served her, or at least those who she perceived as more beautiful than she. Much like the Mazoku under her command do now, she had a habit of chaining such servants under the fountains of her estate, watching gleefully as they slowly froze to death. In time she was betrayed; murdered by a lover who slit her throat and was cast into Hell. For nearly 100 years she suffered the same fate as so many of her serving girls, only she was not allowed to die. But in time, strengthened by the agony, she unlocked her inner spiritual power and transformed herself into a demon, shattering the chains that bound her and killing two Mazoku on the spot. Roughly 243 years ago though intrigue, poise, and seduction she managed to kill her predecessor and took the title of the Queen of Ice and the throne of Frozen Agony. Despite her relative youth as a Captain, this demented noble is not to be underestimated.

**Metel´**(Snowstorm): The zanpakuto of the Queen of the Second Hell takes the form of an ornate cavalry saber decorated with gold and silver, hilt wrapped with Imperial Purple, the same weapon which ended her mortal life. Activated by the phrase "Shatter their marrow!" the blade grows clear, like fresh ice, and freezing cold to the touch, constantly dripping water as if even the ice of the Blue Hell is too warm for it. Ice and snow are her playthings with this blade and her cruel application of this power know no limit. Anything she cuts with the blade is frozen, if not necessarily killed outright. In addition with the command "Liven´" (hailstorm) any nearby water or ice can be formed into projectiles or waves of cold that lash out with a mere thought. Its full release form, known as Imleratorskij Metel´ (Imperial Snowstorm), is a fierce two-headed eagle formed from thousands of razor-sharp snowflakes. The bird can fiercely attack with beaks or claws or launch projectiles in the form or razor-sharp ice feathers. In addition, it can break down into its individual snowflakes and attack in that form. This literal snowstorm has two possible attacks: Grob (coffin) which freezes enemies solid and Reznya (massacre) which slices enemies to pieces then freezes the remains and shatters what is left into powder.

Much like its final form, the true form of Metel´ is that of the two-headed eagle, the symbol of the Imperial house that Anastasia served in life. Each head has a distinct personality which constantly argue with one and other, indeed the only thing the two heads can agree on is their love of battle and blood.

_Verbrennend Stadtzentrum: The Burning City- The Red Hell_

The deepest of the deep south, where great temperatures seeping up from deep within the realm literally melt the bone deserts into rivers of lava lies Verbrennend Stadtzentrum, the Red Hell. Built upon a massive, flat plain of fused bone and surrounded by thousands of "cracks" through which run molten rivers, The Hell of the South is the Hell of Fire. Represented by the Roman numeral III and the Red Phoenix of the South, the Red Hell is the "classic" Hell of flames that dominates the minds of mortals in this day and age. Surrounded by a constant haze of heat and smoke and filled with the stench of searing flesh, everything in this city must be constructed of stone or metal, lest it melt under the immense heat. Even then the buildings glow in the gloomy half-night of the city. Here the damned are bound in white-hot chains and pierced with molten spikes, nailed to heated iron grates over massive pyres where the Mazoku periodically douse them with burning pitch. Branding and burning at the stake are common punishments even for the "lesser" damned, while the most notorious are forced to drink molten copper.

_Rheinhardt Fleischer_: The King of Flames, Rheinhardt Fleischer rules this hell with the zealous gleam of an unholy paladin. In life he _was_ a Holy Warrior, a Templar of sorts that dedicated his life to making war on the heathen and bringing the Light of God (forcefully is necessary) to those who had it not. It was regrettably that some denied this light and had to suffer the torments of the righteous, but he was not a man to question the will of God. Where lesser men balked, he confidently set alight the pyres that would burn the pagans and witches, purifying them for God's love. In time, however, this righteous torture grew into a simple love of murder and when he finally fell on the field of battle, pierced through the throat with a flaming arrow, he was damned. Rheinhardt did not try to resist his fate by becoming a Hollow, indeed he believed even then that he would ascend to Heaven. When he was drug into Hell he cursed God, vowing that if he could not become an angel, he would become a devil and rule Hell itself. And so he did. Over half a millennium ago, after an epic battle with his predecessor that left much of the city in ruins, Rheinhardt Fleischer became the King of Flames and rebuilt the Red Hell along the lines of his own personal vision.

**Feuer-Zwergkaiserfisch** (Flame Angel): The zanpakuto of the King of the Third Hell takes the form of crude halberd in its sealed state. With the phrase "Burst the Thousand Suns, Break the Seals of Hell!" the blade and shaft take on an eye-twisting red and black form, like partially cooled lava. The blade has several unique powers, most of which are unknown and not all of which are related to fire. With the command "Bleigießen" (pouring of molten lead) the head flies apart into globes of liquid hot metal that can be used as projectiles or to cover a victim that had already been slashed. If the halberd is slammed into the ground with the command "Waldfriedhof" (forest cemetery), numerous spikes of red-hot iron emerge from the ground to impale victims. With the further command "Brandwunde" (burn) those impaled may be set on fire. In its fully released form, Feuer-Zwergkaiserfisch melts and flows over Rheinhardt's body, forming thick, blood red armor that covers him completely. In addition to a great increase in both strength and defense and the previous attacks, he may call any weapon he chooses into his hand at will or attack with the armor's heavy, spiked gauntlets.

Feuer-Zwergkaiserfisch's true form is that of a Crusader knight of old, dressed in armor stained red with blood and singed black at the edges, with a bloodstained white cloth marked with the inverted cross draped over its torso.

Makurayami no Umi: Sea of Total Darkness- Hell of Infinite Blackness 

Far to the east, where sluggish rivers of blood wind their way through the deserts before choking the land into a quagmire of thick swamps and twisted bone trees, lies Makurayami no Umi, the Hell of Infinite Blackness. The Hell of the East, represented by the Roman numeral IV and the Blue Dragon of the East, is the hell of darkness, ignorance and the unknown. Inky black clouds shroud this city from all sight (save that of the Mazoku), making it impossible for the damned to see anything. To those who can see, it resembles a Japanese castle town of old, but a twisted and decaying one filled with unseen dangers and the constant stench of blood from the rivers outside its walls. This darkness is the key to the Makurayami no Umi's terror. When one arrives, one cannot see the roads of spikes carved from ribs or the walls of oiled razors, much less hope to avoid the wandering Mazoku who snatch up souls at will. Some of these unfortunate damned are carried off to repair the walls that defend the city. Most are simply drug off to be raped or tortured as the demon in question chooses. Much like the samurai of old, these Mazoku are given much leeway in how they choose to treat their "lessers." Those who draw the special attention of the high level Mazoku suffer a form of the death of a thousand cuts, bound in tight nets of steel wire while demons slowly cut the bulging flesh away and a cauterize the wounds with hot irons.

_Kurome_: The Queen of Shadows, known as Kurome, is one of the oldest and most powerful of the Mazoku Captains. She is also clearly the most insane. Born the daughter of peasants, she choose not to follow that life and instead took to the streets as a thief, liar, betrayer and murderer. There was no sin too depraved for her to try, and indeed she tried them all, but as would be expected of such a brutish life it was short with an equally brutish end. After being beaten to death in an alley, Kurome raged against her fate and refused to pass on, becoming a Hollow and taking vengeance on her killers. But thanks to the iron will her lifestyle had granted her she was able to go further than most, fusing with hundreds of other Hollows to become a Gillian, taking control of that mass of souls and rising to become an Adjuchas and finally a Vastolorde. She had hopes of reaching the next peak and becoming an Arrancar before a fellow Vastolorde killed her, accidentally shattering her mask before she could be consumed. When some souls reach Hell they scream; other roar into the wind and ask for more. Kurome was one of the latter. Using the knowledge gained as a Hollow she quickly transformed herself into a demon and began to murder her way up to the ranks, finally taking the title Queen of Darkness over a thousand years ago. Even more terrifying than her power or longevity is her insanity. Kurome is clearly unbalanced; shifting back and forth between icily controlled sociopath and raging, sadistic psychopath with precious little in between and even less warning. The only real sign trouble is about to begin is when she begins to refer to herself in the plural.

**Abikyoukan** (The Two Hells): The zanpakuto of the Queen of the Fourth Hell takes the form of a no-daichi in its sealed state, its tsuba a stylized dragon and phoenix circling each other in a yin/yang pattern. It is unique in that it controls two elements, fire and ice, and therefore possesses two forms. With the command "Freeze their blood!" the blade becomes icy white and perfectly smooth as well as freezing cold to the touch. Alternatively with the command "Reduce their bones to ashes!" the blade becomes pitch black and wickedly serrated. As such, Abikyoukan possesses numerous attacks depending on which form it is in. The command "Sensatsu Suisho" (thousand flying water needles of death) produces a hail of razor-sharp needles of ice in a wide arc, while the command "Hyouryudan" (ice dragon bullet) produces a cluster of ice-cold projectiles of water that freeze anything they touch. Alternatively the command "Kaen" (cursed flame) produces a bolt of hell-hot black fire that can burn through nearly anything, while "Kyokujitsu_"_ (rising sun) creates a wave of black hellfire from a line scribed on the ground. In its full release form the sword can use both elements at once (half the blade black and half of it white) and these attacks grow more powerful. "Tsubame Fubuki" (swallow snowstorm) produces needles that can be controlled in flight while "Hakuryubo Fusetsu" (white dragon outburst snowstorm) produces a massive dragon of ice. "Kuraikou no Tobihi" (leaping flames of the dark phoenix) refines the simple ball of hellfire into a bird-shaped projectile that can seek its prey while "Kurobikari Tensoku" (black luster shooting the sun) creates a spiral ribbon of black fire, drilling or melting though targets.

The true form of Abikyoukan is a creature vaguely resembling the goddess Hel, a young woman in a fine kimono, half of her body pale and perfect with rich black hair, the other half charred black and rotting with ash white hair.

Agonia della Lume di Luna: Agony of the Moonlight- Hell of Searing Light 

At the western edges of Hell, before the bone desert at last gives way to a wasteland even the Mazoku dare not enter lies a beautiful forest filled with remarkably green things and what appears to be fresh water, untainted by the blood and brimstone that fills much of the rest of Hell. At the heart of this forest is a city that appears equally peaceful. Of course, it is all an illusion; this city is none of other than the Hell of Searing Light. The forest is quite real, growing in the only place in Hell that actually has true light, but it is a dark and tainted forest that grows thick and fat on the blood of the damned. The fifth and final hell, the Hell of the West, represented by the Roman numeral V and the White Tiger of the West is a hell of illusions, and a hell that breaks expectations. Crafted along the lines of a Renaissance Italian city with massive white buildings and beautiful red domes, it seems a paradise. But on closer inspection this stone is more of the compressed bone that makes up most of Hell and the red dye is none other than blood, frequently reapplied to keep the color bright. Not that the damned who dwell here can see it. Although light is usually considered a symbol of goodness and purity, Agonia della Lume di Luna takes great pride in proving that assumption wrong. Hellishly bright, constant, skin-searing, eye-burning, blood-boiling light fills every inch of this city and forest. The plants thrive, the damned are instantly blinding upon arrival. There is no shade, no shadows, and no protection, just relentless light that shines from every conceivable angle and several inconceivable ones. The damned scream and scream and scream as they desperately tear at their eyes to try and block the light, but even those who succeed in ripping out their own eyes gain no relief from the searing agony that burns their skin with but a touch. Little else is needed to make the damned here suffer, but the Mazoku of the Hell of Searing Light are also very creative and can always find ways when it amuses them.

_Tancredi Iacopo_: Known as the Lord of Light, the King of the Fifth Hell is the Mazoku Captain Tancredi Iacopo. On the surface he is poised and polite, a disciple of the fine arts and a talented artists in his own right. It is simply that his preferred canvas when alive was human flesh. In life, Iacopo served a wealthy patrol who found his macabre paintings to be utterly delightful and commissioned more. With the money and protection of this powerful patron, Tancredi was free to kill and paint as he liked, and he did for many years until his patron died. Disgusted by the serial murderer who saw his victims as art, Tancredi was cast out by his patron's heirs and, without noble protection, was quickly found by his victim's families, flayed and thrown into the ocean. For the next fifty years Tancredi terrorized the coast as a Hollow before growing bored with the living world and seeking power in Hueco Mundo. He climbed as high as Adjuchas before a Shinigami of all things split his mask. The mad artist was pulled into Hell and so began the next phase of his life. It took just over 200 years before Tancredi managed to ascend to the ranks of the Mazoku and began his career anew. With a Machiavellian genius he moved through the ranks until just over 452 years ago he ambushed his predecessor in the forest outside the walls and took the crown of the Lord of Light for himself. Guided by "artistic vision" he immediately set about demolishing and redesigning the Hell of the West to suite his own whims.

**Spettrale** (Unreal): The zanpakuto of the King of the Fifth Hell is a strange and yet compellingly beautiful contraption. In its sealed state Spettrale appears to be a strange cross between a long sword and a rapier, a heavy bladed weapon with an ornate basket hilt, all richly embossed, with several long ribbons trailing from the hilt. Although these ribbons constantly swirl when drawn (and form the sword's sheath when not), they never seem to interfere when Tancredi must fight. With the command "Glide upon the moonlit waves!" the blade transforms into mother of pearl, the engravings glowing a faint blue, and the ribbons take on a twisting, constantly shifting rainbow pattern. Spettrale is a sword of illusions and in this state it gains two attacks. With the command "Arcobaleno Ballare" (rainbow dance) the ribbons begin to flutter and move in a fixed and yet chaotic pattern than draws the eye. Those who do not break away are entranced and temporarily paralyzed by fascination. With the command "Sette Specchio Scintillare" (seven mirror flash) seven identical blades appear, hovering in midair in any place Tancredi chooses, which mirror his movements exactly. In its fully released state Tancredi slams Spettrale into the ground and seven identical sword of pure moonlight rise up around him. With an act of will he can call any of these blades into his hands or instantly transport himself to the location of these blades. He can also create illusions of almost anything at will so long as his victims see the ribbons of one of the swords move in their strange, rainbow dance. With the command "Morte Scintillare" (death flash) he can perform a Seven-Mirror Flash with any or all of the seven blades that are under his complete control rather than simple mirrors. Finally, with the command "Incollar" (cleave) he can fuse the seven blades back together into one, compressing the power of the sword sevenfold.

Spettrale's true form resembles a twisted harlequin or court jester dressed in the robes of a Cardinal and hiding its face behind a silver mask. In addition, this spirit is always seen with paintbrushes and spattered with blood.

The Mazoku (Demon Race):

As stated, the Mazoku were originally human, having used their innate spiritual powers to transform themselves into demons. Through this they have escaped the agony of Hell, but in turn damned themselves to an eternity within its boundaries. For various reasons, many Mazoku began their Afterlives as Hollows, and thereby gaining an innate understanding of spiritual energy and how to manipulate it. High level Hollows, especially Meinos, that have been damned are especially adept at transforming themselves, having gained an understanding of such transmutation during their quest for power in Hueco Mundo. Perhaps because of this, the basic powers that all Mazoku wield are remarkably similar to those powers wielded by Hollows. Still, only three of the five current Mazoku Captains were ever Hollows. But do to the harsh and cutthroat environment in which they dwell, any Mazoku who survives to climb to the top of the ladder are among the most determined and powerful beings in existence.

_Common Powers:_

_Kugel_ (bullet): The Mazoku concentrate and fire projectiles of hardened spiritual energy from their fingertips or palms. Individually these projectiles do little damage, but the nature of this attack is such that a rapid-fire effect is achieved, saturating an area with fire.

_Null_ (zero): A more powerful version of the Kugel, a Mazoku fires a single, but much more powerful projectile of condensed spiritual energy from a fingertip or palm, inflicting massive damage. The Captain level Mazoku have a more powerful version known as Konigskrone Null (royal crown zero).

_Eisen_ (iron): One of the first techniques that all Mazoku learn is the ability to alter the way spiritual energy flows through their body, concentrating it below the skin in such a way as to armor themselves again both enemy attacks and the environment of Hell itself.

_Verneinung_ (negation): Although bearing a similar name, this Mazoku technique is much different than the Negacion used by Hollows. Using spiritual energy a Mazoku can create a dimensional barrier that acts as a temporary shield, blocking nearly all attacks. Captain level Mazoku have also used this technique to create small dimensional vortexes that can tear matter and spirit alike apart, but the attack is rarely used as it very slow (and thus easily avoidable) and energy intensive.

_Anfrage_ (inquiry): Another key technique developed by all Mazoku, this is the ability to alter the way spiritual energy is focused within the eyes and other senses. Not only does it allow for the detection of spirit pressure and other effects, it also allows the Mazoku to develop extremely acute sense and to cut through the normal sensory impediments of Hell such as shadow or searing light. 

_Schall_ (sound): The Mazoku version of shunpo, so named because they produce a loud crack like lightning when using this technique.

_Mazoku Zanpakutos_: Like the Godless or the Shinigami, the blades wielded by the Mazoku are their own power, fragments of their own souls sealed into weapon form, both a part of themselves and also an independent entity. The term "zanpakuto" is the most commonly used, although technically the proper name is Seele Säbel (soul sword), but due to the influence of Captains like Kurome zanpakuto has become the standard. In all other ways, though, the blades are nearly identical. They can take almost any form and have both a partial release (Ausrűcken / Disengaging) which involves an activation phrase and learning the weapon's true name and a full release (Vorherrschaft / Dominance) which involves subduing and dominating the weapon's spirit. Beyond this there is little standardization in terms of size, shape or power, each being an individual reflection of a particular demon's will and soul. The only trait that all Mazoku zanpakuto share is that they cannot purify souls. Anything that dies by the blade of a Mazoku is inevitably drawn into Hell; even pure souls not burdened by sin are corrupted by the very touch of a fragment of a demon's soul. Perhaps this, more than anything else, is why the Mazoku cannot leave the depths of Hell.


End file.
